Foot-brace and arch-prop.



N. M. GBEWS.

FOOT BEACH AND ARCH PROP.

APPLICATION FILED JANA. 1913.

1, 1 1 2,683. Patented. 001;. a, 1914.

THE NORRIS PETERS CQ. PHOTO'LITHO. WASHINGTON. D. C.

NEAL M. CREW/VS, OF .PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

FOOT-BRACE AND ARCH-PROP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. c, 191 1.

Application filed January 4, 1913. Serial No. 740,113.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, NEAL M. Qxnws, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of -lllinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot-Braces and Arch- Props, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a foot brace and arch prop.

Theobject of-my invention is to provide a brace adapted to hold the members of a foot in normal and natural position to prevent forward thrust of the foot in the shoe, to provide the main support of the foot at the arch and upon a resilient member and to provide a rocking action between the foot brace and the resilient arch member effective in weak action.

. My invention consists of a form preferably of leathencurved in longitudinal and cross section providing a curved support for the bottom of the foot and a brace conforming to the shaped portion of the foot intermediate the heel and toes; a longitudinally curved spring member attached at the portion of the brace adapted to meetrthe foot at its arch; the shaping of the brace to serve as a reinforcement against change from its normal lines.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan View showing the outline of a shoe, the parts of a foot in dotted lines in substantially normal position and certain bones shown in dotted lines in abnormal position, and showing the brace and arch spring in place within the shoe; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my device shown 1n conjunction with a diagrammaticfoot form; Fig. 3 is a cross section on the l1ne 33 of my device as shown in Fig. 2, excluding the foot form.

In the drawing, 2 is an outline of a shoe; and the diagrammatic dotted outline is that of the bones of a foot. 3 refers generally to the foot rest or brace and comprises the central body portion a extending the entire length of the brace and curved intermedlate its ends to conform to the arch of a foot.

5 is an extension of the heel portion and 6 refers to the forward portion of the brace adapted as a rest for the ball of the foot.

7 are upwardly curved side portions, such curve being formed in the bottom at the sldes and the edges of said portions are gradually curved rearwardly to the heel portion and forwardly to the maximum forward point. The forward portion 8 and the rest adapted for the ball of the foot may be curved as shown in Fig. 1,'with the respective sides of greater or less length in proportion as may be necessary to support the foot some-v what back of the point between the metatarsal and .phalanges bones of the foot. The forward curve of the side portions 7 meets the curve at the forward end ofthe brace on c .rved lines as at 9 and 10, adapting the brace to exercise a retaining function and to limit lateral expansion nearly to the joints between the metatarsal and phalanges bones. Furthermore, such curved form ofthe brace serves to maintainthe form of the brace in its normal shape and to prevent breaking down of the forward end thereof and to provide for reflex of the material of the brace when it may be depressed under the pressure of the foot.

The same general curvature both of the body of the heel portion 5 and the juncture or meeting edges of the side portions 7 with said heel portion is maintained, as in connection with the forward portion 8 to obtain the function of reinforcement against the breaking down of the heel portion and to give the body at this portion resiliency or reflex force.

11 is a spring adapted to be attached to the transverse central portion of the brace and is bent downwardly from its point of attachment at an angle sufficient to provide normally a considerable space between the bottom of the brace and the spring, as shown in Fig. 2. By means of this nature of connection between the brace and the spring, it will be seen that normally the foot will be supported from its arch with the heel and toe suspended or held in the brace and out of contact with the bottom of the shoe; that in walking, a yielding tension is exerted through the spring against contact of the ball and the heel of the foot so that the heel and forward portion of the foot are held from severe contact with the bottom of the shoe and against the hard and severe jars that normally attend walking, and which produce hard incrustations and many times corns on the bottom of the foot.

The brace is formed on lines to fit the central portion of the foot so that when applied and the foot with the brace attached is inserted in the shoe, and when the shoe is laced tightly with the heel pushed well back into the shoe, there is absolutely no chance for the forward thrust of the foot and hence the toes are held from being pressed into the forward curvature of the shoe. Also, the brace having been adapted to the foot of a person, its parts so lie with relation to the bones thereol as to hold them in place at the central body thereof and exerting a tendency to expand the toes so that a shoe of proper width will peanit the toes to be expanded into their normal or natural position. The brace is adapted to extend forwardly to a point that will engage the ball of the flOOt at a point slightly rearward of the joints between the metatarsal and pha langes bones, thus serving to hold the joints at the sides slightly clear or the body of the shoe and the engagement of the bottom portion of the foot is such as to hold the joints normally out of contact with the bottom of the shoe. Furthermore, the spring 11 serves to hold the ball of the foot out of contact with the bottom of the shoe, but when in the course of walking, such contact is occasioned, it is then under the resistance and resiliency ot the spring, supplemented by the resistance or the body of the brace.

in carrying out my invention, it is necessary to adapt the brace to the foot of the wearer and in ap 'ilying the same the directions as given above should be followed, and if so followed and if the foot is a healthy and lerfect one at the beginning, it prevents l toot troubles such as corns, bunions, caluses and weak and broken arches. It the foot is out of normal and afilictcd with any of the above troubles, the application of the brace and reasonable judgment being exercised in selection of shoes, these troubles will be quickly cured, the bones being caused to occupy their normal and natural positions and all abnormal pressures being relieved, they will quickly heal and become normal.

What I claim is:

1. A foot and arch prop, comprising a body arched longitudinally to support the arch of a foot and having lateral extensions to embrace the feet at its intermediate portions, and a two-armed spring member attached on a line between its arms to the top of the arch portion of said body and having its arms extending downwardly at angles away from said body and from said line between its arms, whereby said body is ful crumed on said spring member for a rocking action thereon.

2. A toot brace and arch support adapted to be inserted in a shoe, the central body portion thereof having substantially the curvature of the arch of the foot and a lateral curvature throughout its length, lateral side pieces having a general curvature to conform to the shape of the foot and to embrace the same, said lateral side pieces extending rearwardly to the inturn of the heel portion and :t'orwardly to the inturn at the front end of the main toot portion, and a flat spring member bent inte'mediate its ends to a substantially inverted V shape, the apex of which is connected with the body portion substantially at the center of the arch form, the ends oi the spring member being free and spaced from the body portion of the arch support.

In testimony whereof I have atlixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NEAL M. CREWVS.

Witnesses MARY E. Connors,

W. V. Tnrr'r.

fiopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. G. 

